The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c16.s3.t1.9

v2.c16.s3.t1.9

Edict No. IX:—“The beloved of the gods, Priyadasi Rājā, thus says : every man that is, celebrates various occasions of festivity; as on the removal of incumbrances, on invitations, on marriages, on the birth of a son, or on setting forth on a journey; on these and other occasions a man makes various rejoicings. The benevolent man, also, celebrates many and various kinds of pure and disinterrested festivities, and such rejoicing is to be practised. Such festivities are fruitless and vain, but the festivity that bears great fruits, is the festival of duty, such as the respect of the servant to his master; reverence for holy teachers is good, tenderness for living creatures is good, liberality to Brahmans and Sramans is good. These and other such acts constitute verily the festival of duty, and it is to be cherished as father by a son, a dependant by his master. This is good, this is the festival to be observed, for the establishment of this object virtuous donations are made, for there is no such donation or benevolence as the gift of duty, or the benevolence of duty, that(benevolence) is chaff, (which is contracted) with friend, companion, a kinsman, or an associate, and is to be reprehended. In such and such manner this is to be done, this is good; with these means let a man seek Swarga; this is to be done, by these means it is to be done, as by them Swarga has been gained.”